HOUGHTON, N.Y. –  Russell Sage College snapped a nine-game losing streak with tonight's 96-80 Empire 8 Conference victory at Houghton.

The Gators, which shot 47.0 percent from the field, including 47.6 percent from beyond the arc, broke open what was a four-point contest with a 14-3 second half run.

RSC had five players score in twin figures.

Sophomore guard Noah Girard (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) led all players with 24 points, eight assists, and five rebounds.

Junior guard/forward Jackson Brown (Latham, NY/Catholic Central/Fredonia State) added 20 points, while junior forward Tahirou Hamidou (Bronx, NY/Carolina Basketball Academy/Livingstone) registered 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and 10 rebounds for his third-consecutive double-double.

Guard Ryan Long (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park), a graduate student, and sophomore forward Todd Williamson (Schenectady, NY/Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons) rounded out the group with 13 points each.

Junior forward Jajuan Preaster topped Houghton (5-17/4-11 E8) with 23 points. Freshman forward Esafe Taufahema contributed 16 points, while sophomore guard David Rosa Jr. scored 15 points.

Looking ahead, RSC (4-18/2-13 E8) plays at Medaille on Saturday at 4:00 pm.

Notes: The Gators, coming off an Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament appearance, graduated all five starters from last season…Nine players, accounting for just 21.22 percent of scoring and 16.82 percent of rebounding, are back…They joined nine newcomers to make up this year's roster…Sophomore guard Noah Girard (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) and guard Ryan Long (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park), a graduate student, were voted co-captains...Head Coach Brian Barnes, now in his 14th season, began the campaign with a 167-153 overall record.

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